Linux Server: "file is write-protected or in use"

[filmdbs]

What's going on?

We're currently testing our FM6 files on a new Linux server (previously they were on a Windows OS). When I open the Server hosted files, they all open write-protected (especially when the files are opened via scripts). We've setup the necessary Linux access groups... however, the problem seems to persist.

A possible solution seems to lay within directing Filemaker to the file via 'hosts' rather than directly to the file directory. I never had to do this for the PC hosted solution, and it worked fine. Is this something specific to hosting files on Linux?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[Vaughan]

You mean you are not hosting the files with FM Server? You are sharing them on a network volume (SAMBA or something)?

Sharing them on a network volume is the wrong way to do it. Linux is doing you a favour. Get FMS 5.5.

Seriously, network volume sharing causes deep rooted file corruption, slowly but surely. How often did you have to recover the files when they were shared on the Windows box?

[filmdbs]

Sorry for the confusion... we're hosting the files via FM Server.

[Vaughan]

You are using FMS -- that's great to hear.

Unfortunately I know nothing of Limux but have worked with FMS on MacOS X. My only suggestions are to check the file's owners and privileges, open the files in FMP to check they are were closed properly and not corrupted, and to check that FMS is configured to open all the files (this has got me a couple of times).

[Bob Minteer]

Howdy from Texas!

I am running FMServer 5.5 under RedHat Linix 7.3. It screams!

First, make sure that your fmserver.conf is configured correctly. Specifically, the following entries:

# Edit the text in quotes to specify the user account name FileMaker

# Server uses after startup. <WARNING> See the FileMaker Server

# Administrator's guide before attempting to change this setting.

FMServerUser "fmserver"

# Edit the text in quotes to specify the user group name that FileMaker

# Server uses after startup. <WARNING> See the FileMaker Server

# Administrator's Guide before attempting to change this setting.

FMServerGroup "fmserver"

Make sure this user/group exists and has permissions to /var/fmserver (or whatever you set for ServerRoot in the fmserver.conf file.

Also, make certain that the .fp5 files that you are hosting have the appropriate read/write permissions set on them.

I usually "chmod 777" on all .fp5 files and set "chown fmserver.fmserver" as well to be sure fmserver has full permissions to the files.

If you ever move the files in or out of the ServerRoot (for maintenance) via SAMBA (while the server is offline of course), you should make the appropriate settings in your smb.conf file under the appropriate share definition to force user/group and file attributes as such:

create mode = 0775

force user = fmserver

force group = fmserver

If you do use a samba share, it is best to make it non-browseable (browseable = no) and tight on permissions (guest ok = no) just to be sure some user won't find it and start monkeying with the files.

Hope this helps.... If not, write back and I'll be happy to give whatever assistance I can.

regards...

Bob Minteer